Charles woodbury stimson



(No Model.)

' O. W. STIMSON.

GARMENT GLASP.

Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

aim/flew W 7ti4 J1 116 megs.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FEICE.

CHARLES W'OODBURY STIMSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GARMENT-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 554,742, datedFebruary 18, 1896.

Application filed May 11, 1894. Serial No. 510,904. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES WooDBUEY STIMsoN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Garment-Clasp, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to garment-clasps; and it has for its object toprovide a new and .useful device of this character especially adaptedfor use as a supporter to support hose.

To this end the main and. primary object of the present invention is toconstruct a simple and eflicient garment-clasp, providing means wherebythe garment to be supported may be quickly and readily engaged anddisengaged, while at the same time providing a clasp which will securelyand firmly hold the garment until manually disengaged therefrom, andwhich will therefore entirely obviate the annoyance attendant upon theaccidental disengagement or loosening of the hose-supporter.

With these and other objects in view,which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of agarment-clasp constructed in accordance with this invention shown asapplied in position for supporting a stocking. Fig. 2 is an enlargedcentral longitudinal sectional view of the clasp, showing the severalparts in position as about to be engaged with the supporting-button.Fig. 3 is a similar View with the several parts of the clasp arranged asshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the claspseparated from the supporting tape or fabric.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a solid sheet-metalbase-plate constructed in a suitable size and shape and provided at oneend with the slot 2, adapted to receive the lower end of an ordinarysupporting tape or fabric 3, that is adapted to be arranged on thewearer in the ordinary manner for the support of the hose or stock- 50ings. The solid sheet-metal base-plate 1 is provided at a pointintermediate of its ends with the opening 4, that is adapted to looselythe sheet-metal base-plate 1 is bent upon itself to form the hinge-eye6, that loosely receives the short inturned pintle extremities 7 of thewire joint-loop 8.

The wire joint-loop 8 consists of a single length of wire bent into asubstantially rectangular form and provided at one end with theattaching-bar 9, to which is connected, as at 10, a loop or portion ofthe supporting tape or fabric 3, at a point above its connection at oneend to the plate 1, and the portion of the tape or fabric 3, between itsconnection with the jointed clasp members 1 and. 8, forms abacking-strip 11,which is disposed back of all of the metal parts of theclasp and absolutely prevents and obviates the chafing contact of themetal with the flesh. At a point intermediate of its ends the oppositeside bars of the wire joint-loop 8 are coiled upon themselves to formthe coil-eyes 12,with which are loosely engaged the opposite extremitiesof the swinging button-bail13.

The swinging button-bail 13 consists of a suitable length of wire bentinto the desired form and adjacent to its connection with the loop 8.The said bail has the opposite side bars thereof bent or curvedoutwardly to form a widened entrance-opening 14, that is of a diameterslightly greater than the head of the button 5, in order that the bailmay be readily engaged over and disengaged from the button, and beyondthe widened entranceopening 14 the said bail is extended into a Icontracted engagement-neck 16, that is of a width less than the diameterof the button, and is adapted to engage over the shank of the buttonunder the head thereof when the jointed members of the clasp arestraightened out.

In connecting the clasp with the hose to be supported the upper end ofthe hose is placed over the supporting-button 5 and the joint of thejointed clasp members broken inwardly, so as to carry or dispose thewidened entranceopening 14 of the bail 13 over the button, which is thenpressed through the entranceopening of the bail, together with the upperend of the hose thereover, and by then straightening out the joint thecontracted engagementmeck 16 will be carried under the head of thebutton around the shank thereof to securely bind and hold the hose onthe button, which by reason of its loose connection with the base-platewill readilyturn and adjust itself to any torsional strain placedthereon.

It will be observed that the wire j oint-lo'op 8 and button-bail 1.3 areoppositely disposed, their closed ends being outermost and their openends lying intermediate of the closed ends. By this construction and bythe hinge connection of, the button-bail with the side bars of the loop8 the inturned pintle extremities 7 are held in engagement with thehinge-eye 6 by the combined "action of the side bars or members of thesaid loop 8 and the button-bail 13, as will be readily understood whenit is remembered that these parts are constructed of spring-Wire.

The many advantages of the herein-described garment-supportin g claspwill readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and it willbe understood that changes in the form, proportion, and the minordetails of construction may be resorted to Without departing from theprinciple or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is-

As an improved article of manufacture, a garment-clasp constructedsubstantially as herein shown and described, the same comprising aspring-Wire loop having inturned pintles at the free ends of its sidebars, and having coils midway of the side bars forming eyes, a platehaving a hinge-eye at one end to receive the said pintles and providedat its opposite end with a transverse slot, a button having looseconnection with the said plate .and capable of yielding to torsionalstrain, and a spring-Wire button-bail having its ends looped into theaforesaid eyes and having its closed end contracted to co-operate withthe button to secure the garment or article to be attached to the clasp,and havingits side bars outwardly deflected opposite the hinge-jointbetween the spring-Wire loop and the plate, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES WOODBUIRY S'IIMSON.

Vitnesses:

MINNIE E. STIMSON, LOUISE E. CHASE.

